Canaveral National Seashore

Coastal Species of Concern Predation Management Plan and PEA Finding of No Significant Impact


NPS Southeast Regional Director Bob Vogel signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) authorizing the use of a suite of predation management tools and methods at coastal NPS parks with habitats that support species of concern in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The National Park Service hosted webinars and incorporated public comments received last fall into its final analysis, which became available to affected parks this month.

Predators are an important and necessary function of healthy ecosystems, but predation can have devastating effects on coastal species that require concentrated protection. Some parks need a strategy to better protect species of concern. The NPS Southeast Region's new Coastal Species of Concern Predation Management Plan and Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) provides its parks greater access to industry-tested best management practices and mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts. The plan also helps ensure proper training and engagement of experienced personnel involved in predator removal.

Species of concern at national parks along the southeastern coastlines may include, both, federally-listed threatened and endangered species and state-listed species — like the snowy and piping plover shorebirds, loggerhead sea turtle, green sea turtle, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, southeastern beach mouse, and Perdido Key beach mouse. NPS' new plan aims to protect these species and their nests from such predators as coyote, raccoons, fox, and feral hogs. Affected park units may implement actions from the plan by first completing site-specific National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance.
 
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